Criminal Justice Experiential Learning Program
Limited-Access
Graduates of this program will earn their A.S. degree in Criminal Justice. The Criminal Justice Field Learning Track is limited to students who possess a valid and current Florida state certification in corrections or law enforcement, who are currently employed full time with a local or state corrections agency or law enforcement agency, and who remain employed while enrolled in CCJ 2942, CCJ 2943, and CCJ 2944.
Associate of Science Degree (CIP# 1743010302)
The purpose of the Criminal Justice Field Learning Track in Corrections or Law Enforcement is to provide a pathway for active duty corrections or law enforcement officers in Florida to earn an accelerated A.S. degree through the award of articulated credits for work-based learning and industry certifications.
The Criminal Justice Field Learning Track under the Criminal Justice A.S. degree program offers a student a broad background in the history, philosophy, organization, management and operation of the criminal justice system. It is designed for students currently working in corrections or law enforcement who seek professional growth and/or advancement within their organizations, or employment in another field of criminal justice. Graduates of this program may also transfer into Valencia College’s Bachelors of Applied Science in Business and Organizational Leadership program.
The critical difference between the Field Learning Track and the standard Criminal Justice A.S. degree program is the requirement that students complete the three 6 credit hour Criminal Justice Field Experience courses (CCJ 2942, CCJ 2943, and CCJ 2944). The field experience courses are designed to allow students to earn college credits for the work they do on the job, while also layering in additional online academic activities aligned to learning outcomes from other courses in the Criminal Justice A.S. degree. The successful completion of the three Criminal Justice Field Experience courses would allow a student to earn 18 credit hours for work-based learning. Combined with the 6-12 credit hours awarded (Corrections Track) or combined with the 15 credit hours awarded (Law Enforcement Track) through successful completion of the state law enforcement academy and the FDLE licensing exam, a student in the Criminal Justice Field Learning Program could earn 24-30 credit hours (Corrections Track) or 33 credit hours (Law Enforcement Track), [the award of credits through the academy articulation would be based on the clock hours of the academy program a student attended] through work-based learning, which reduces the length and cost of the Criminal Justice A.S. degree program.
Although scheduling may not always provide for the ideal progression of courses, students should follow the outlined course sequence as a guide in program planning. It should be noted that students must take CCJ 2942, CCJ 2943, and CCJ 2944 in sequential order. Also, prior to enrolling in the any of the Field Experience courses, a student must first visit Valencia School of Public Safety to verify employment and certification status.
The School of Public Safety can be found at:
8600 Valencia College Drive
Orlando, FL 32825
407-582-8200
Students are strongly encouraged to consult a career program advisor at the School of Public Safety or a Criminal Justice Career Program Advisor on another campus for assistance in determining the best education plan for their career goals.
Students wishing to transfer any credits from this program to another institution must accept responsibility for securing approval from the transfer institution.
All degree-seeking students must satisfy entry testing requirements and satisfactorily complete all mandatory courses in reading, student success, mathematics, English, and English for Academic Purposes in which the student is placed.
The three 6 credit hour Field Experience courses (CCJ 2942, CCJ 2943, and CCJ 2944) are the limited access element of the program and require that a student possess a valid and current Florida state certification in corrections or law enforcement and be currently employed full-time with a local or state corrections agency, In order to enroll in the Field Experience courses, a student must first provide evidence of current employment in law enforcement.
Enrollment Steps
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Complete the college’s admissions requirements.
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Declare as a Criminal Justice A.S. degree program major.
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Attend the New Student Orientation (NSO).
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Attend a mandatory program information session.
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Meet with the Career Program Advisor at Valencia’s School of Public Safety to verify eligibility. The Career Program Advisor will verify a student’s enrollment eligibility by checking their employment and certification status through the Automated Training Management System (ATMS) maintained by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
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Once eligibility has been verified, the Career Program Advisor will help you to re-declare as a Criminal Justice Field Learning Program A.S. degree major.
Program Admission Requirements
Possess a valid and current FDLE state certification in corrections or law enforcement. This is only required for students planning to take CCJ 2942, CCJ 2943, and CCJ 2944. Certification status will be verified by accessing the student’s Geo-profile in ATMS.
Be currently employed with a local or state corrections agency while enrolled in CCJ 2042, CCJ 2043, and CCJ 2044. Employment status will be verified by accessing the student’s Geo-profile in ATMS.
Start Right
Degree-seeking students enrolling at Valencia for the first time will have a limited range of courses from which to choose for their first 18 college-level credits. Within the first 18 college credit hours, you will be required to take ENC1101 (3 credits) and a mathematics or science course (3 credits) appropriate to your selected meta-major. The remaining courses will be chosen from the General Education Core Courses in humanities (3 credits), general education elective (3 credits), PSY 2012 or SYG 2000 (3 credits), and CCJ 2942 (3 credits). For course sequencing recommendations, see your Career Program Advisor or create an education plan by logging into Atlas, clicking on the LifeMap tab and clicking My Education Plan.
Potential Careers
- Police Officer
- Law Enforcement Officer
- Deputy Sheriff
- Security Officer
- Crime Analyst/Technician
- Criminal Justice Administration
- Correctional Officer
- Detective and Investigator
- Loss Prevention Specialist
- Emergency Communications Specialist
Salary & Earnings Information
For career information related to this program, please visit O*Net OnLine.
Contacts
East Campus
Brian Murphy, Program Chair 407-582-2381
jmurphy60@valenciacollege.edu
Mike Sparkman, Career Program Advisor: 407-582-2388
msparkman2@valenciacollege.eduu
West Campus
Lauren Sykes, Program Chair, West Campus: 407-582-5673
lsykes3@valenciacollege.edu
Heidi Shugg, Career Program Advisor: 407-582-1461
hshugg1@valenciacollege.edu
Osceola Campus
Dave Heffernan, Program Chair, Osceola Campus: 321-682-4223
dheffernan@valenciacollege.edu
Ross Laverdure, Career Program Advisor: 407-582-4355
rlaverdure@valenciacollege.edu
Alternative Ways to Earn Credit
Graduates of specific programs at Osceola Technical College (oTECH), formerly Technical Education Center Osceola (TECO), may be eligible to receive college credit for specific courses in this program. For information and requirements, go to https://valenciacollege.edu/academics/programs/as-degree/credit-otec.php to view the Criminal Justice articulation agreement. Eligible students should contact the related academic department and/or career program advisor at Valencia for the award of credit.
Students who have successfully completed a state-certified training academy such as Valencia’s Criminal Justice Institute and passed a recognized state certification exam for Law Enforcement Officer, Corrections Officer or Probation/Parole Officer, may also be eligible to receive credit for certain courses in this program. For information and requirements, go to valenciacollege.edu/asdegrees/credit_alternative.cfm to view the Award of Credit agreement and complete a request form. To have the credit awarded, students should bring the required documentation to the Dean’s academic department for verification and approval.
Internship and Workforce Services
If you need assistance with job resources or in locating an internship, please visit: valenciacollege.edu/internship.
Program Outcomes
- Apply knowledge of criminal law, constitutional law, and juvenile law to criminal scenarios.
- Communicate criminal justice concepts through oral and written formats.
- Analyze life long ethical and professional responsibilities of criminal justice personnel in the administration of justice.
- Examine the interaction between police organizations, the courts, corrections, and the community in the administration of justice.
- Select the appropriate techniques and practices common to particular types of criminal investigations.
| Semester 1 | ||
| CCJ 2942 | CRIMINAL JUSTICE FIELD EXPERIENCE I + | 6 |
| SLS 1122 | New Student Experience | 3 |
| ENC 1101 | FRESHMAN COMPOSITION I +*~ | 3 |
| Semester 2 | ||
| CCJ 2943 | CRIMINAL JUSTICE FIELD EXPERIENCE II + | 6 |
| Articulated Award of Credit | Licensure 1 | 6-12 |
| Science or Math | See Gen. Ed. Requirements *~+ | 3 |
| Semester 3 | ||
| CCJ 2944 | CRIMINAL JUSTICE FIELD EXPERIENCE III + | 6 |
| Criminal Justice Elective | 3 | |
| Humanities | See Gen. Ed. Core or Institutional Requirement | 3 |
| Semester 4 | ||
| PSY 2012 | General Psychology ~ | 3 |
| or SYG 2000 | Introductory Sociology | |
| CJJ 2001 | Juvenile Justice Systems | 3 |
| CJE 2600 | Criminal Investigation | 3 |
| Semester 5 | ||
| CCJ 2358 | CRIMINAL JUSTICE REPORT WRITING: CAPSTONE * | 3 |
| CJC 2162 | COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS | 3 |
| Criminal Justice Elective ^ | 3 | |
| Semester 6 | ||
| Criminal Justice Elective ^ | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 60 | |
| Criminal Justice Electives | ||
| CCJ 2452 | Criminal Justice Admin * | 3 |
| CJE 2140 | INTRODUCTION TO SECURITY | 3 |
| CJE 2062 | Peace, Conflict and the Police * | 3 |
| CJE 2160 | Multicultural Law Enforcement | 3 |
| CJC 2162 | COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS * | 3 |
| CCJ 2941 | INTERNSHIP EXPLORATION/FIELD OBSERVATION IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE * | 1-3 |
| CCJ 2930 | Selected Topics Crim Justice | 1-3 |
| CCJ 2022 | CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE * | 3 |
| CLP 2140 | Abnormal Psychology * | 3 |
| or PSY 2050 | Survey of Forensic Psychology | |
| HSC 1400C | FIRST AID AND CPR | 3 |
| HFT 2600 | HOSPITALITY LAW | 3 |
| HFT 2630 | SECURITY ISSUES IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY | 3 |
| ASL 2140 | AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE I | 4 |
or SPN prefix | ||
| DSC 1006 | Intro to Homeland Security | 3 |
| DSC 2242 | TRANSPORTATION AND BORDER SECURITY * | 3 |
| DSC 2590 | INTELLIGENCE ANALYSIS AND SECURITY MANAGEMENT * | 3 |
| ENC 1102 | Freshman Comp II +*~ | 3 |
| PAX 1000 | Introduction to Peace Studies | 3 |
| 1 | Students who successfully pass the Florida Licensing Exam for correctional officer and complete a college credit course at Valencia College will be awarded 6 credit hours for the following courses: CJC 2000 and CCJ 2930, for students who completed the 420 hour correctional academy. For students who completed the 552 hour correctional academy, they will be awarded 12 credit hours for the following courses: CJC 2000, CCJ 2022, CCJ 2930, and HSC 1400. |
| + | This course requires a C or better. |
| * | This course has a prerequisite; check description in Valencia catalog. |
| ~ | This is a general education course. |
| ^ | Elective credit hours will depend upon the level of hours awarded within the licensing exam. |
Program Outcomes
- Apply knowledge of criminal law, constitutional law, and juvenile law to criminal scenarios.
- Communicate criminal justice concepts through oral and written formats.
- Analyze life long ethical and professional responsibilities of criminal justice personnel in the administration of justice.
- Examine the interaction between police organizations, the courts, corrections, and the community in the administration of justice.
- Select the appropriate techniques and practices common to particular types of criminal investigations.
| Semester 1 | ||
| CCJ 2942 | CRIMINAL JUSTICE FIELD EXPERIENCE I + | 6 |
| SLS 1122 | New Student Experience | 3 |
| Semester 2 | ||
| CCJ 2943 | CRIMINAL JUSTICE FIELD EXPERIENCE II + | 6 |
| ENC 1101 | FRESHMAN COMPOSITION I +*~ | 3 |
| Articulated Award of Credit | Law Enforcement Licensure 1 | 15 |
| Semester 3 | ||
| CCJ 2944 | CRIMINAL JUSTICE FIELD EXPERIENCE III + | 6 |
| Science or Mathematics | See Gen. Ed. Requirements +*~ | 3 |
| Semester 4 | ||
| CJJ 2001 | Juvenile Justice Systems | 3 |
| CJC 2000 | Introduction to Corrections | 3 |
| Criminal Justice Elective | 3 | |
| Semester 5 | ||
| Humanities | See Gen. Ed. Core or Institutional Requirement | 3 |
| PSY 2012 | General Psychology (or SYG 2000 Introduction to Sociology) ~ | 3 |
| or SYG 2000 | Introductory Sociology | |
| CCJ 2358 | CRIMINAL JUSTICE REPORT WRITING: CAPSTONE * | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 60 | |
| Criminal Justice Electives | ||
| CCJ 2452 | Criminal Justice Admin * | 3 |
| CJE 2140 | INTRODUCTION TO SECURITY | 3 |
| CJE 2062 | Peace, Conflict and the Police * | 3 |
| CJE 2160 | Multicultural Law Enforcement | 3 |
| CJC 2162 | COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS * | 3 |
| CCJ 2941 | INTERNSHIP EXPLORATION/FIELD OBSERVATION IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE | 1-3 |
| CCJ 2930 | Selected Topics Crim Justice | 1-3 |
| CCJ 2022 | CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE * | 3 |
| CLP 2140 | Abnormal Psychology * | 3 |
| or PSY 2050 | Survey of Forensic Psychology | |
| HSC 1400C | FIRST AID AND CPR | 3 |
| HFT 2600 | HOSPITALITY LAW | 3 |
| HFT 2630 | SECURITY ISSUES IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY | 3 |
| ASL 2140 | AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE I | 4 |
or SPN prefix | ||
| DSC 1006 | Intro to Homeland Security | 3 |
| DSC 2242 | TRANSPORTATION AND BORDER SECURITY * | 3 |
| DSC 2590 | INTELLIGENCE ANALYSIS AND SECURITY MANAGEMENT * | 3 |
| ENC 1102 | Freshman Comp II +*~ | 3 |
| PAX 1000 | Introduction to Peace Studies | 3 |
| 1 | Students who successfully pass the Florida Licensing Exam for law enforcement officer and complete a college credit course at Valencia College will be awarded 15 credit hours for the following courses: CJL 2102, CJE 2600, CCJ 2022, CCJ 2930, and HSC 1400. |
| + | This course requires a C or better. |
| * | This course has a prerequisite; check description in Valencia catalog. |
| ~ | This is a general education course. |